Results 14,461-14,480 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Examinations (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, I am very conscious of the time lost in terms of in-person teaching and learning for the class of 2022. I acknowledge the work of the advisory group. When I reference the advisory group, I want to be clear about who is involved in that. As the students, parents, teachers, joint managerial bodies and the Department are at the heart of that, it is a representative and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Examinations (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I am deeply conscious of the ongoing work in our schools throughout the pandemic. The Deputy will appreciate that the situation is always in flux for both the education sector and society as we deal with the pandemic. Notwithstanding that, considerable planning has gone into provision not just for this year but for the new school year as it begins in September. Schools have already been...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Facilities (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The policy of my Department is to support the use of school premises and facilities for community and recreational purposes where possible. In October 2017, following consultation with the relevant school authorities, my Department published guidelines on the use of school buildings outside of school hours. These guidelines can be viewed on my Department's website. The purpose of these...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under the Department’s design and build programme. I want to be clear that this project is a priority for the Department. The permanent location for the school will be on a greenfield site in the Department’s ownership at Maryborough, Douglas, Cork. The school when complete will provide...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the points the Deputy has made, especially the point regarding the students who have moved through the years. I understand the impact on the entire school community, including the staff of the school, the board of management, the parents and, as I said, the students themselves. The Deputy will also appreciate, however, that, as with any application for planning permission,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the Deputy's genuine interest in this issue and the necessity to advance this project as quickly as possible. I can confirm that we are doing all we can. Certainly we hit a block in terms of the planning but we have reconfigured and reassessed and are doing all we can to ensure the next application will succeed. I appreciate the points made by the Deputy. The Department...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Facilities (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy and appreciate the case he makes and the importance of the provision of these sorts of facilities in our schools. As I have previously outlined, they are part of funding via the NDP but we are looking towards the latter half of the timeframe of the plan for allocation. It is something of which I am conscious. I must also point out there is an enormous budgetary...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Facilities (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. I again say that I am wholly in agreement with him. I know from personal experience the importance of PE departments and all they achieve at second level. The provision of halls and a general purpose room at primary school level is important. The multipurpose nature of accommodations of that nature speaks to health and fitness while also allowing for enormous creative...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: As someone who comes from the school sector, I am keenly aware of the vital role played by school secretaries in the running of our schools. In recognition of this role, I have put special arrangements in place for the coming school year whereby schools will be funded to employ a replacement secretary or caretaker in the event that staff who are at very high risk of contracting serious...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: As I have outlined and said consistently, I am very conscious of the excellent and pivotal work contributed to school communities by schools secretaries and caretakers. I have been very clear on this. I am also very clear, as I am sure is the Deputy, that there is a process of engagement via the WRC. I also acknowledge that since October 2020 the process has moved apace and there has been...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge again that there has been significant progress. I reiterate that since October there has been consistent engagement via the WRC, and this includes bilateral engagements. The engagement has been very fruitful in that it has been consistently helpful to the process to chart a way forward. As outlined previously, the Deputy is quite correct that a significant body of data was...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Facilities (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: Many schools have a GP room or sports hall and practically all schools have outdoor play areas. In addition, many schools use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. Investment and expenditure on GP rooms and PE halls is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the school building programme. The provision of GP...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The school transport scheme is significant operation, managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the current school year, more than 114,000 children, including more than 14,700 children with special educational needs, SEN, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country, at a cost of more than €224.7 million in 2020. All...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I am conscious of the issues the Deputy raises. As a consequence of that, he will be aware that there is a full review of the school transport system, which I have instigated. In the shortest term possible, we have asked for the interim report. The interim report looks at issues of eligibility in terms of nearest school and next-nearest school. I am pleased to say that in the short term,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: There will be additional 1,800.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department is clear on ambition. We recognise there are considerable issues with school transport. A review of the entire school transport scheme is under way at this point in time. To facilitate accommodations that could be made in the short term, there was an announcement of an initial finding of review, which will now accommodate an additional 1,800 pupils. In this very short space...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's school building programme and we remain committed to advancing this project as soon as possible. Under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: A key part of the DEIS Plan was the introduction of a new DEIS identification process based on an objective, statistics based model to determine which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS programme. An extensive body of work has been undertaken in terms of the refinement of this model, based on the latest school enrolment data and data available from Census 2016 under the HP Deprivation Index....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020. All children who are eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is a matter for the Board of Management of each school. Schools are advised to consult with members of the school community including parents when planning for the introduction of digital technologies including devices. The cost and other implications must be fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a...